Comments on: Are You a Publisher or a Conversationalist?

By: Directions, Pauses, and Focus « Tape Noise Diary

Directions, Pauses, and Focus « Tape Noise Diary — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 16:18:57 +0000

[...] with my theories against their utopian views about web cooperation and participation. Even though they’ve been my best posts in terms of reaction and visits, I don’t want to give the idea that it’s my final word. I’m no “thought [...]

By: Food For Thought Links « Tape Noise Diary

Food For Thought Links « Tape Noise Diary — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 20:38:10 +0000

[...] I think, is very much debatable -I explain here why- and I think that being editorial about your shit, actually makes you a good blogger and even [...]

By: Simen

Simen — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 21:02:43 +0000

Different blogs, different ways of blogging. There’s a place for conversation starters and there’s a place for monologues. For example, my biggest blogging success, in terms of hits and comments (which is, of course, far from my favorite in terms of quality), was written as a one-way rant for a small niche blog. It garnered a couple of comments. Some time later I joined a group blog and it was reposted there. It provoked a reader storm, with hundreds of comments and thousands of hits. A conversation sprung up, just like that. By virtue of being posted on a different blog, the same text provoked a radically different response.

I don’t believe in telling bloggers how to blog or defining strict criteria for true or real bloggers. Aside from the usual notes about honesty, critical use of sources, and common courtesy, I don’t think it’s in anyone’s place to tell anyone much about what kind of medium blogging is. Of course, you are free to say what kind of blog you like, and you’re free to say a blog sucks — but really, I don’t think blogging is more about a monologue than a conversation. Maybe your blog is, but blogging isn’t. Short-form, long form, I read a variety of blogs and there is an even larger variety I don’t read, but nevertheless can respect as having their valid take on what constitutes blogging.

That said, it’s always good to have some idea of what you’re doing, what you’re trying to accomplish, whom you’re trying to connect with, that sort of thing. As a matter of personal convinction, that’s just fine.

Unrelated aside: have you noticed that the only people who tend to comment on blogging, on blogs or in other media, are either 1) bloggers or 2) grumpy old men?

By: Anthony Papillion

Anthony Papillion — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:41:49 +0000

You’re absolutely right! Bloggers see themselves as conversation starters but, in my opinion, posts that are intended to be conversation starters either 1) fall flat on their face (because talking is not why people read your blog) or 2) are very poorly written because the blogger trys to leave things open ended enough to inspire conversation.

Personally, I always try to write my posts as though I’m writing a commentary piece in a newspaper. I make my point, I try to polorize, and I sign off. Do I care if people agree with me? No. Do I care if they comment? Not really. I blog to get stuff out of my head and to, hopefully, give people a slightly different view on things.

I do not want to chat.

By: Susan

Susan — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 20:45:57 +0000

I think this is a smashing idea!